Fire-alarm or signaling system.



J. M. SEYMOUR, In. FIRE ALARM 0R SIGNALING SYST'M.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 6, |915.

Patented Des. 12, 1916.

2 SHEETS 1. M. SEYMOUR, 1R'. FIREy ALAHVIl ORSIGNALING SYSTEM. APPLICATION F1LED DEC. 6, 1915.

Patented Dec. 12, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

.WITNESSESI INVENTOR iunrrn sanne .anar in,

JAMES M. SEYMOUR, JR., OF NEWARK, NEWJERSEY.

FIRE-ALARM OR SIGNLING SYSTEM.

Patented Dec. l2, i916.

Il ,2v,3@@, Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December G, 1915. Serial No. 65,462.

To all whom t may concern:

Re it known that l, latins M. SEYMOUR, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Fire-Alarm or Signaling Systems; and l do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to maire and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

rlhe present invention relates, generally, to improvements in alarm-system; and, the invention has reference, more particularly, to a novel fire-alarm system comprising in general a container or receptacle adapted to contain a fluid, as air, under compression, a line or lines of piping connected therewith and provided with an alarm signal or signais, a second line or lines of piping connected with said other line or lines of piping said second line or lines of piping serving as a control and being fitted with valves, or the like, any one or more of which are adapted to be suitably operated, either manually or otherwise, all in combination with a diaphragm control.

The present invention has for its principal object to provide a simply-constructed and effectively operating hre-alarm system of the general construction and cliaracterhereinafter morelfully set forth, and especially a system using in connection therewith a differentially operated diaphragm control.

rFhe invention has for its further objects to provide a fire-alarm control or system, for alarm purposes in which the cost of maintenance has been reduced to a minimum; and to produce an efficiently operating system and one which can be depended upon to be at all times operative and certain in sounding an alarm under all conditions. y

The invention has for its further objects to produce an alarm system of. greatly reduced cost, both as to construction; to provide an alarm system giving dependability or a certainty of an alarm being` given, when the system and apparatus may not be used for years; to provide a system and apparatus in which the depreciation `of the material employed in the construction of the system and apparatus does not endanger, during the life of the system and apparatus, the efficiency and dependability of the system; and finally, to provide an alarm system and apparatus which is always on the safe side, in that any disorder in the system or apparatus, due to a reduction or loss of the Huid-pressure, the breaking of a control line, or the leaking of a. diaphragm will iminediately sound an alarm or fire signal.

Other objects of the present invention not at this time more particularly enumerated will be clearly understood from the following detailed description of the present invention.

With the various objects of the present invention in View, the said invention consists, primarily, in the novel fire alarm or signaling system hereinafter set forth; and, the present invention consists, furthermore, in the several novel arrangements and combinations of the several devices and parts, as well as in the details of the construction of the said parts, all of which will be more fully described in the following specification and then finally embodied in the clauses of the claims which are appended to and which form an essential part of the said specification.

rlhe invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figures l and 2 represent, diagraminatically, one embodiment of the present invention, said Fig. 2 being a continuation of Fig. l, on line a--a in said Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional representation, on an enlarged scale, of the diaphragmdamper regulator, and pipe-connections thereof.

Referring now to the said figures of the drawings, the reference-character1 indicates the ioor lines of a building, 2 the usual beams upon which the floors l are supported, and 3 indicates a foundation, usually the cellar line of the building, as a factory, public building, etc.

rlihe reference-character 4 indicates a suitable reservoir or tank, adapted to contain a fiuid, as air, under compression, the fluid within said reservoir or tank being brought under compression, to the degree of pressure desired, by a suitable pump, as 5, or other suitable mechanism, which is suitably connected with the said reservoir or tank l by means of a system of piping, as 6, connected with a four-way fitting 7, from which extends a piece of pipe 8 which communiico Vcat es with the said reservoir or tank, Vas at 9.

Suitably located inthe line ot piping 6 may Y. vIl@ dicating gage 12. Y

be a check-valve -10of any suitableV construction, a shut-ott valve V11, and apressure-in- It desired, there maybe connected with Y the reservoir ortank 4, as at 13, a line of piping14 leading to and connected with a pres-A reservoir or tank 4, under normal conditions,

at a greater` degree than thatV of the pressure-source with y'which the piping'14 is connected, a suitablecheck-valve 15, Vor the like,

is mounted inthelpiping 14, the valve-plate Vor disk 16 of which always remainsin its closed relation upon the seat ot the valve, as lon gas thepressure of the iiuid within the reservoir or tank 4 is greater than that of Y thesaid.pressure-producing source in the piping14, as willY be clearly evident.

`Connected with and leading from the tour-.way itting 7 isa pipe 17 havingl connected thereto. a T-tting, as 18, and connected with and leading from this fitting 18 is aline oi piping, as 19, which extends upwardly through the various floors of the building,and is suitably closed, as at 20, by means ot' a cap 21,V or otherwise.y Suitabl-y mounted in this pipe 19, upon the severa-l lioors ot the building, are suitable tit,- tings, as 22, with which are connectedV pipes, as 23,*each pipe having anend 24,'which may be opened to the air, as will be presently more fullyset forth.V In each-pipe 23 is Y chain-27V or the like, for manually operating the valve or'valves, as will be clearly understood.: Ot course, it will be evident, that any VVotherf'suitable means for operating said valves,fmanually or otherwise, may be employed. Extending in an upward direction from thepreviously mentioned'T-fitting 18 is a pipe-28, upon' 'which is mounted and with whichis' connected, Vso as to establish communcatlion therewith, a suitably constructed diaphragm damper-regulator, as 29.

Yl/Vithin thepipe 17, ata point in front of the Vtitting'lS, the cross-area ofthe'said pipe 17 is VVsuitably reduced by the insertion in saidfpipe'ota plug 30, having a smallhole orduct 31, F ig. V3 of thefdrawings; but, it

L ;.will V loefunderstood,-thart any other means for so reducingthe area Vmay be' employed,

it Y desired.Y The' purpose ot this is, Vunder VVnormal conditions, to keep the diaphragm intlated,or to' maintain the static -pressure throughsaid reducedV openingwith the pressure maintained .in the reservoir VYor tank 4,

.- and the said reduced'opening, under otherY Vconditions, on account ofA the'larger release opening to said diaphragm, allowing the airtov escape from said diaphragm, in the manner and for the purposes to be herein- `after. 1 more Yfully described. Suitably mounted upon the said reservoir or tank 4, or secured in any other suitable position, is aV support, as 32, upon which is pivotally mounted, as at 33, a suitable bell-crank or device comprising two arms, as 34 and -lThe arm 34 rests upon a knife-edge, or other Vsuitable supporting means, as 3G, carried by said diaphragm, and adjustably arranged upon said arm 34 is a slide or weight, as 37,- for maintaining the carrying engagement between said arm 34 and the said supporting means 3G, as will-be evident. The said arm 35 carries uponV it upper end, or in any other suitable portion, a holding member ornosing, as 38.

Connected with and extending upwardly from the previouslymentioned four-way titting 7 is a line of piping 39, leading to the severaliioors of the building, and being closed at its upper end by means ot a suitable cap, as 40,011 otherwise. Mounted in said pipe, upon each Hoor ol the building, are suitable fittings, as 41, with which are suitably connected suitable whistles, as 42, or other suitably constructed alarm or signal-giving devices. Suitably mounted, in the proper location, in said pipe 39 is a normally closed shut-off valve 43 adapted to be supported by mean-s of a lever 44 carrying a weight 45. The position of this lever 44, indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawings, is maintainedby a tlexibleconnection, as 4G, which passes over a pulley or pulleys, as 47, and has attached to itsother end a member, as 48, provided with a projection, as 49,-held in Yengagement with the holding member or nosing 33of the bell-crank arm 35. When the holding or retaining engagement between the said nosing 38 and the projection V49 is broken, by the collapsing of the diaphragm-members, in the manner hereinafter described, a suitable spring-device, as 50, suitably attached to the support 32, helps to further force the member 43v away from thenosing of the arm 35, thus allowing the weight 45 to operate the lever 44, and thereby open the y valve V43.

Having Vin the foregoing described the general arrangements and constructions of the several devices comprising the novel alarm or signaling system, I will now brieliy describe the operation thereof.

Undernormal conditions, by means of the pump or compressor 5, the fluid within the reservoir or tank4 is suitably brought under compression, to the degree of pressure desired, some of the Huid at the same time passing through thepipes 17 and 18 into the diaphragm damper-regulator 29, the several valves 25` in the pipe 19 yand the valve 43 in the pipe 39 being closed, whereby the said diaphragm device 29 becomes sufficiently inated, substantially as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings. At the same time, the arm 34 is raised into the position indicated, and themember or element 48 is brought into retained engagement with the nosing 38 of the arm 35, as shown. The result is, as Will be clearly evident, that the shut-0H valve 43 in the pipe 39 will be maintained in its closed relation to said pipe and the whistles or signaling devices 42 therein. When it is desired to give a signal or to blow an alarm on all fioors of the building, as in case of a fire, any oneo f the flexible members or chains 27 is pulled in a downward direction, whereby the respective valve 25 is opened. The consequent result is that the fluid within the diaphragm device 29 can now escape through the pipe 19 and to the opened pipe 23 at its open outlet-end 24, on account of the fact that the combined weight of the arm 34 and its weight 37 causes the diaphragm-member to collapse. At the same time, the position of the bellcrank disengages the nosing 38 of the arm 35 from the projection 49 of the member or element 48, thereby permitting the weight 45 to pull the lever 44 in a downward direction so as to open the valve 43 in the pipe 39. The reduced area of the opening in the plug 30 located within the pipe 17, prevents a too free esca-pe of the compressed fluid' within the reservoir or tank 4 from the latter through the pipe 17, but its free passage into and through the pipe 39 and -the opened valve 43 therein, permits the said fluid to escape from all the whistles 42, thus positively blowing an alarm upon all lioors of the building. When the reservoir or tank 4 is connected by means of the pipe 14 and check valve l5 with a steam boiler, or other pressure-producing source, as soon as the pressure within the reservoir or tank falls below that of the steam-boiler or other pressure-producing source, then the pressure back of the check-valve 15 lifts the said check-disk 16 off its seat, so that a constant pressure will be maintained through the pipe 14, the reservoir or tank 4, and the pipes 8 and 39, thereby still continuing to sound the alarm at the whistles 42, as will be clearly evident. This connection of the reservoir or tank 4 with a steam boiler or pressure-producing source also has this further advantage that in case of any disorder in the apparatus, such as a loss of air pressure for any cause, or due to breaking of a control not readily get out of order, and a system is produced that does not require delicate adjustments, such as are required with electrically operated or controlled lire alarm systems, and a more dependable system and apparatus is therefore one of the results of my present invention.

Of course I am aware that various other means may be employed, operated manually or otherwise, for controlling the fluid, whether air, gas, or steam, into and through the lines of `pipes 19 and 39, and other means for operating the valves may be employed.

I am also fully aware that changes may be made in the general arrangements and combinations of the various devices and parts, as well as in the details of the constructions of the said parts, without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the foregoing specification. Hence, I do not limit my present invention to the exact arrangements and combinations of the devices and parts as described in the accompanying specification, nor do I confine myself to the exact details of the construction of the said parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

1. A lire or signaling alarm comprising a main line of piping and a pair of auxiliary lines of piping connected with and extending from said main line of piping, means for conducting a pressure-exerting fluid into said main line of piping, one of said auxiliary lines being fitted with a fluid-operated signal and means for actuating said signal, a normally inflated diaphragm control connected with and located in said main line of piping intermediate of said pair of auxiliary lines of piping, the diaphragm of said control being subject to pressure only upon one side thereof, and upon its other side supporting said signal-actuating means, and means in the other auxiliary line of piping for deflating said diaphragm-control and releasing said signal-actuating means to admit the fluid into and through said fluidoperated signal.

2. A fire or signaling alarm comprising a main line of piping and a pair of auxiliary' lines of piping connected with and extending from said main line of piping, means for conducting a pressure-exerting Huid into said main line of piping, one of said auxiliary lines beng fitted wth a fluid-operated signal and means for actuating said signal, a normally inflated diaphragm-control connected with and located in said main line of piping intermediate of said pair of auxiliary lines of piping, the diaphragm of said control being subject to pressure only upon one side thereof, and upon its other side supporting said signal-actuating means, a normally closed valve in the other auxiliary line of piping, and means for operating and l openingsaid valve for', delatingsaid diaphragm-control and Y releasing `said signalactuating means to admit the luidintoand through Y saidY lfluid-operated signal.

`3..-i.iire .or'signaling alarm comprising a mainline'offpiping anda pair of 'auxiliary lines of piping connectedwith and extendking-'from saidrniain line of piping,.-means orfconducting a pressure-exerting fluid into said main line lol piping, one of 'saidauxiliary Vlines of piping being fitted with a Huid-operatedV signal, a normally closed valve in said line of piping, and means for actuating said valve,- a normallyV iniated diaphragm-control connected With` and locatedvin saidmain line of piping intermediateV of said painof auxiliary lines of piping,the,diaphragm of said control being subject-to pressure only upon one side thereof and upon the vother side supporting said valve-actuating means and means in the other auxiliary line orf-piping for fdelating Y said diaphragm-control and releasing said .tuating means to admit fluid into and valve-actuating meansV to admit-Huid into and through saidl fluid-operatedV signal.

4. A fire or signaling alarm comprising a lmain line of piping and a pair of auxiliary lines of ypiping connected with and extending from said main linek of piping, means for, conducting a pressure-exerting fluid into said main line of piping, one of said auxiliary lines of piping bein'gtted With 'and means for operating and opening said last-mentioned yalye for Ydeiiatingv saidA diaphragm-controland releasing said valve-acthrough said Huid-operated signal.

' 5. 'A lire or lsignaling alarm comprising aY reservoir or tank, adapted to receive a'liuid, Va Huid-compressor, aV mainline of piping leading romsaidV compressor to saidrreservoir or tank, a pair ofauxiliarylines of piping connected with andV extendingl from said main lineof piping, one of said pairyof auxiliaryV lines of pipingY 'being litted Yivithal Vluid-operated signal, Va normallv' closedVV valve VVin 'saidV lineef piping, means iorfactu- :ating-said vvalve, Va normally' inflated dia- Y phragm-control connected with and located' in said vmain VYline of piping intermediate of saidipairs of auxiliaryv lines of piping, the diaphragm oiv saidfcontrol being VsubjeettoV -pressure only uponone V.side thereof, Vand L upon; its 'other side A Supporting s'aid; valve- 'Lacasse actuating means, and means in the other auxiliary line of piping for delating said diaphragm-control and releasing` said valveactuating means to admit fluid into and through said Huid-operated signal.

6. A fire or signaling alarm comprising a reservoir or tank, adapted to receive a liuid,

Va fluid-compressor, a main line ol' piping leading from said compressor to said reservoir or tank, a pair of auxiliary lines oi piping connected with and extending from said main line of piping, one of said pair of auxiliary lines of piping being litted u'th a fluid-.operated signal, a normally closed valve in said line of piping, means for actuating Vsaid valve, a normally iniiated diaphragm-control connected with and located in said main line of piping intermediate of said pairs of auxiliary lines of piping, the diaphragm of said control being subject to pressure only upon one side thereof, and upon its other side supporting said valve-actuating means, a normally closed valve in the other auxiliary line of piping, and means for operating and opening said last-mentioned valve for deiating said diaphragmcontrol and releasing said valve-actuating means to admit fluid into and through Said Huid-operated signal.

7. `A lire or signaling alarm comprising z reservoir or tank, adapted to receive a fluid, a fluid-compressor, a line of piping leading from said compressor to said reservoir or tank, a pair of lines of piping in communication with said reservoir or tank, one of said pair of lines of piping being fitted with a fluid-operated signal, a normally closed valve in said line of piping, a balance lever connected with said valve,a normally inlated diaphragm-control connected with and located intermediate of said pairs of lines of piping, means in the other line of said pair of lines of piping for dellating said diaphragm-control, and means actuated by said Ydiaphiaigm-control for releasingA said lever Y and opening the valve in the first-mentioned line oi piping of said pair of lines of piping to admit the fluid into and through said iiuid-operated signal, consisting of a pivoted hell-crank balanced upon said diaphragmcontrol, a holding member normally in retaining engagement With said bell-crank,

and a flexible connectionbetween said holding'member and said first-mentioned balanced lever.

8. A'fire or signaling alarm comprising a reservoir or tanlnradapted to receive a Huid, a fluid-compressor, a line of piping leading from said compressor to said reservoir or Vtank, Va pair of' lines otpiping in communication With said reservoir or tank, one of said pair of lines of piping-being litted With Va huid-operated signal, a normally closed valve in said line of piping, a balance lever connected with said valve, a normally inflated diaphragm-control connected With and located intermediate of said pairs of lines of piping, a normally closed valve in the other line of said pair of lines of piping, means for operating and opening Said last-mentioned valve for defiating said diaphragm-control, and means actuated by said diaphragm-control for releasing said lever and opening the valve in the rst-mentioned line of piping of said pair of lines of piping to admit the fluid into and through said Huid-operated signal, consisting of a pivoted bellcrank balanced upon said diaphragmcontrol, a holding member normally in retaining engagement With said bell-crank, and a :flexible connection between said holding member and said first-mentioned balanced lever.

9. ln a lire or signaling system, a line of piping containing a fluid-operated signal, and a normally closed valve in said line of piping, means for opening said valve, combined with means in which the fluid is maintained under compression and With which said line of piping is connected, and a diaphragm-device adapted to be actuated by the fluid-pressure, said device having an inlet and a release-opening, said inlet being of smaller area than said release-opening.

10. ln a lire or signaling system, a line of piping containing a fluid-operated signal, and a normally closed valve in said line of piping, means for opening said valve, combined With means in Which the iuid is maintained under compression and With Which said line oi' piping is connected, a diaphragm-device adapted to be actuated. by the fluid-pressure, and a pipe leading from said first-mentioned line of piping and connected with the inlet of said diaphragm-device, and a perforated plug Within said pipe located near said inlet to provide an inlet of smaller area than said release-opening.

ln testimony, that l claim the invention set forth above I have hereunto set my hand this 2nd day of December, 1915.

JAMES M. SEYMOUR, JR. Witnesses GEORGE D. RICHARDS, FREDK H. lV. FRAENTZEL.

opies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

